


The Corruptor

by SlothSpaghetti



Series: Sleepless In Stark Towers [16]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Age Difference, BDSM Undertones, College Life, Daddy Kink, Developing Relationships, F/M, Slice of Life ish, Stress, This one is a bit rogue and not what I orginally planned it to be, discussion around eating, imbalance of power, relationship discussion, self doubt, self hate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:46:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27642958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlothSpaghetti/pseuds/SlothSpaghetti
Summary: Finally, someone talks about your age difference with Tony
Relationships: Tony Stark/OFC, Tony Stark/Reader
Series: Sleepless In Stark Towers [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1965925
Comments: 14
Kudos: 90





	1. Your PoV

As per the new rule system we are testing out, I completed my first action or task or expectation or whatever on Monday at lunch. 

Since I hadn't slept since Sunday morning, sending a good night message wasn't expected, but Tony had sent me one at five this morning. I grinned, happy I could wish him sweet dreams while I worked in the studio. It wasn't until the eight am class came in that I left, determined to shower and get to my morning class a bit earlier to get a seat in the front of the lecture hall. 

"Damn," one of the roommates whistled. "Now I guess we know where you've been going."

"Spill the tea, girl." 

How three out of the four of us were actively getting ready at the same time was honestly more interesting to me than talking about Tony's marks on my skin. Those felt private and special to me. I didn't want to sully them by gossiping with people I half knew. 

"There's no tea. I spent the weekend with my-" I almost said Daddy, because that's what he was for me. Boyfriend felt like the wrong word, too immature and not serious enough, but it's what I went with, "boyfriend."

"You have a new boyfriend already?"

"Yeah, I thought you were still getting over what's his name? Neville?"

"Nathan and I broke up like a month ago, but I've kinda liked this guy for a while before that."

I grabbed my shower caddy, trying to signal to them I wanted to end this conversation. 

"So what's his name? What's his year? What's his major?"

"He's not a student." 

I grabbed my towel and scurried to the bathrooms. I didn't want to speak to them about Tony. I didn't want to talk to anyone about it because of the fear. That was if people even believed me, to begin with, but I didn't want to take the risk of someone saying more horrible things or worse attacking him…

Christ. I cried in the shower when I realized how I just acted could be perceived. It was like I was ashamed of him. Which was the fucking opposite of true. If anything I was just ashamed of me being me and concerned that the more people knew about me the worse it would get for him. He shouldn't have to hack shitty news websites for me. Our relationship shouldn't be a hardship for him and if that meant keeping his name to myself I would. 

When I got back to the room, I unplugged my phone from the charger and pulled up the Halloween photo of us on the couch.  _ I've also never seen The Big Lebowski or Star Wars. What are you gonna do about it?  _ 😜

Even though my account was anonymous (ish), it made me feel a bit better making the sassy comment. Showing at least some people I wasn't just some strange ghost account or like I didn't care, because I did. A lot. Maybe I wasn't comfortable just talking openly about Tony, but I could comment on our Instagram pictures, and that felt like a good start. 

I got dressed, packed a change of clothes, and ran off to my first class for the day. My phone remained untouched until it was my lunch break between classes. Peter had texted me, outraged that I would build Star Wars Lego with him without having first seen the films. I sent him a gif of Dwight with a pumpkin on his head because honestly, I was more into the build than I was the characters. I also felt a bit brain dead from class, unable to form a better argument. There was a missed call from a number I didn't recognize, so I just ignored it. It was probably spam. 

Rather than trekking all the way across campus to the cafeteria, I went to the vending machine next to the bathrooms. The glass-enclosed chips, chocolates, and snacks stared back at me. The rolling green light of the card reader hypnotized me into giving away more money than I had. This was maybe excessive, but I took a video of me selecting peanut butter crackers and fruit snacks before pulling them out of the tray to send to Tony. 

∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆

**_You_ ** \- lunch of champions. Not pictured - massive cup of iced coffee. 

**❤️💛** **_Daddy_ ** **💛❤️** \- I'm glad you’re eating something

**❤️💛** **_Daddy_ ** **💛❤️ -** but that's not something I'd call champion worthy or lunch. 

**❤️💛** **_Daddy_ ** **💛❤️** \- pretty sure this is a lunch of champions. 

∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆

He sent me a picture of some fancy hipster green salad that probably cost $15 and I was jealous. It looked amazing and to be honest any meal that I got to share with Tony was nice. It didn't make sense, but it was easy to eat in front of him. There was no staring, no scoffing about big bites, and he only questioned my portion size because he was concerned I wasn't eating enough. Even though we'd shared only a few meals, he made me feel valid by simply letting me exist with the food. 

I sent back three drooling emojis and rushed off to my art history class. When I finished unpacking my book, notebook, pen, and color-coded highlighters, I opened the fruit snacks. The stale, chewy gummies stuck to my teeth, producing more saliva than any human ever needed so that when a guy in class I had never spoken to sat right next to me, it looked like I was drooling. I gulped and took a huge swallow of my iced coffee before shoving my food into my bag. A prickling of shame at being caught eating like an animal poked at my conscience but I shoved it down.

Throughout the whole lecture, he kept glancing at me. Or at least it felt like it. Every time I looked up from my notes to look at the slide show, I caught him side-eyeing me. It wasn't even that he was looking at my notes, he just looked at me. The longer the lesson took, the more like a zoo animal I felt. The hand holding my pen gripped tighter while I used my other hand to fist the collar of my shirt. The soft, brushed flannel did nothing to calm my nerves. At one point, I faked a yawn and pulled the material up over my mouth to hide even further. Anything to hide from the stranger's gaze. 

"You're the freshie who got the big art scholarship this year aren't you?"

I was trying to pack up, to bolt from the lecture hall so I could finish eating the lunch I told Tony I would when he asked his question.

"Mmm," I responded, standing up to leave, supplies in hand rather than in my bag.  _ Go away, I don't wanna talk, you absolute creep. _

"We have an art club that meets on the middle Thursday of every month. Here's my number. Text me and I'll let you know the time and place. It changes depending on studio availability."

He plucked my notebook from my grasp and wrote his number in the margin of my notes. 

"I-yeah, I'll see if I have time," I fumbled taking my notes back, and nearly sprinted out of the lecture hall. 

I checked the time on my phone, running late now for the next thing in my calendar. The number from earlier called me again. Clearly not spam then. I took a deep breath, I could do this. 

"Hello?" 

"So you do answer the phone, Hero Stuff."

Oh god.

Pepper Potts was calling me. 

Oh god.

"Hi Miss Potts, sorry I missed your first call. I was in class when you called." I continued walking to the studio for my final class of the day. 

"Oh, do you teach?"

"No," I squeaked. 

"Grad student then?"

"... No."

There was a pause, followed by a loud clacking sound. Oh god. It was like being on the phone waiting for a murderer to find you cowering in the closet. Only I was still speed walking, clutching my books to my chest, praying she'd just end the call. The more aggressive the clacking and under breath muttering got, the quicker I began to move, trying to escape some imagined ending of my life at the hand of a woman that was actually miles away. 

"ANTHONY EDWARD STARK."

"Virginia Pepper Potts," I heard Tony jovially shout back. "See look, I can use your government too."

"What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"Narcissism, dependency on caffeine, daddy issues, self-sacrificing tendencies, the list goes on, you need to be specific Pep."

"Let's talk about the actual child you are quote-unquote dating."

I cringed, both out of the shrillness of her voice and sting of embarrassment. It was only a matter of time before someone said something about our age difference, but I just assumed it would be like my dad or maybe the media.  _ Do I need to be on this phone call anymore? _

"Miss Potts."

"Quiet kid," she hissed.

"Are you on the phone with her?"

"Miss Potts," I tried to sound level headed and not emotionally wrung out.

"How did you get my girl's number?"

I tried not to let my head swell when I heard Tony call me that. 

"Peter gave it to me."

Traitor. Absolutely gonna give him a Spidey level wet willy when I next see him. 

"JARVIS," Tony shouted again, louder and seemingly closer to the phone. 

I stood just inside the arts building, trying to warm up and not look like I was the subject of a very intense argument. 

"Don't you fucking-" the call tone changed, echoing slightly. "Dare."

"Hey Sweetheart," Tony sounded happy, completely unphased by Miss Potts' anger.

"Nuh-uh, none of that, put down the damn blow torch."

"Miss Potts," again I tried to speak to her.

"Were you ever going to mention that you were seeing some half your age?"

"Does it really matter? She's an adult, I'm an adult."

"It's an imbalance of power. It doesn't matter if she is of consenting age. You are in a position of power that could be considered wildly influential and your relationship could be considered grooming."

"Oh my god, it's not that big a deal," Tony groaned.

"You are not only one of the richest men alive-"

"Thank you I do like being reminded of that."

"You are an Avenger and the governmental liaison for the team."

"Enjoying that reminder less."

"Miss Potts," I forced out a harsher tone, trying to be as commanding as she was.

"This is a PR disaster. Our stocks will plummet!"

"Life is more than just your fucking stock numbers!"

_ I could just hang up and they probably wouldn't even notice. _

"I started it," I hollered, gaining the attention of a few people walking through the lobby. 

I lowered my voice when there wasn't another interruption, "I flirted first, I kissed him first, I asked him first. I am the corruptor here."

"I can make my own choices, but I don't wanna cause any trouble." I sighed, the small outburst already taking everything out of me.

"Hey, you aren't doing anything wrong, Baby. Pep is just jealous because she is dating Agent No Fun."

"Leave Phil out of this Tony, we are talking about you and her and the massive fucking bonus you are going to have to pay the PR team this year to handle your shit."

"Fine, give them whatever they want," I pictured Tony waving his hand in the air, "but I expect them to fucking keep a close eye on it. I will take matters into my own hands if I have to."

"You can not use the Iron Man for your own personal vendettas, Tony."

"Who said anything about that guy? If I remember correctly, and I always do, I’m pretty damn good at fucking shit up on my own."

"I can handle the negativity, it's nothing I haven't heard before," I moved from one foot to the other, trying to let out some built-up nervous energy. "I'm sorry, but I have to go, I'm running behind schedule."

"Have a good class, Hap will pick you up after," Tony again sounded chipper and like the entire conservation didn't just happen.

"I can take the train, I'm sure he has better things to do."

"He doesn't."

"He does."

They spoke at the same time. I wasn't sure how to really respond to any of that, so I just hung up the phone. I spent the rest of the afternoon working on projects and presenting my ideas for my final _Intro to Art_ project. I didn't think about the guy from my art history class until I was leaving. Happy sat right out front in a sleek black car.

"Hey, freshie."

_ Damnit.  _ "Yeah?"

"Don't forget to text me, you'd be a great addition to the club."

I heard a car door open and saw my rescue stand up. He aggressively jabbed his finger onto his watch.

"I gotta go, sorry," I didn't wave, still unsure of what to think of that guy.

He gave me the creeps and I wasn't even sure why beyond the one incident this morning, which again I tried not to think about. Burying deep in the back 40 of my mind garden, I slid into the front seat of Happy's car.


	2. Tony's PoV

After being scolded like a child by Pepper and you again revealing more about your own upsetting past, I went on a teenie tiny rampage. Maybe just to prove to Pepper I could do what I wanted, and maybe also to take some of the heat off of you, I did send out a computer virus. For the next 48 hours, the basic program would scrap news sites for your Instagram handle. If it was found on a page, it would immediately mark it for redirection so the visitor would instead be sent to a donation page for a national cyberbullying charity helpline or a video of Rick Astley singing "Never Gonna Give You Up" because I couldn't resist.

I walked into Lab 03, looking for the SHIELD lead on alien weaponry to discuss a new energy stun gun thing they want to start making standard for all agents when I heard the lyrics. 

_ We're no strangers to love _

_ You know the rules and so do I. _

Well, that worked quickly and seemed to easily weed out the lazy no good gossip mongers. 

"In my own tower," I muttered, before looking at the offender. "Oh, you like Rick Astley?" 

The young engineer paled slightly, "No, Mr. Stark, I was just trying to pull up a research article to share with the team regarding carbon chain links."

_ Never gonna give you up _

_ Never gonna let you down _

_ Never gonna run around and desert you _

_ Never gonna make you cry _

_ Never gonna say goodbye _

_ Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you _

_ A shitty liar then _ . 

"So you just wanted to Rick Roll everyone?" I walked up behind him and peered over his shoulder.

"No,” he cleared his throat, “the website just wouldn't load the paper, keeps redirecting me."

"Send me the link, I'm sure I can fix it." I placed a hand on the back of his chair.

"N-no, it's probably not worth sharing.”

"C'mon, kid who doesn't want to learn about something as outdated as carbon chain links while on company time?"

Any side conversations in the lab halted. In the reflection of his monitor, I saw the young engineer gulp. Leaning further into his chair, pushing him forward into the metal desk, I let some of my rage slip.

"You wanna gossip about me and my girl again on my property, I can assure you, you will never work again in your life, in any field."

"Yes, Mr. Stark, sir."

"Alright," I stood up and smiled. "Let's talk about how fucking stupid your stun gun design is."

∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆

Just before the end of the regular workday, JARVIS alerted me that you were on your way up to the Avengers' shared lab. Bruce was bent over a microscope probably rememorizing his own genetic code, while Rhodey was on the phone, pacing by the window and talking to some military cowboy about something. Probably again trying to explain why you can't equip mini-nukes onto the War Machine suit.  _ Fucking republicans. _

As the elevator dinged, and JARVIS opened the doors, I closed out of anti-chafing, universal stretch fabric materials design I was finishing up. You looked like you were one second away from throwing yourself out the nearest window. 

Pepper and  Aunt Hottie May flanked you.

Jay and I were going to have to have a chat about announcing all guests to the lab before he opened the door. Neither woman looked pleased, both holding two cups in each hand while you held your cup and a second. 

“I’m sorry, this is a boy’s only lab, please take your cooties elsewhere,” I grinned. 

“Don’t you even fucking start with me, Anthony,” Pepper sneered, before thrusting a cup at Rhodey.

Oh, so we were still at Anthony level anger. Just great. May walked over to where Bruce was obviously eavesdropping now and placed a cup down next to him. You set the last cup next to me, pushing it a safe distance from the edge, but also keeping it away from the broken tech on my desk. When I reached for your hand, it finally sunk in just what kind of meeting this was. You shook your head ever so slightly, but your eyes went wide as if begging me to behave. 

“Hey May, it’s good to see you,” I turned around and looked at the pair of seething women. 

“Stark.”

_ Fuck me, this was gonna be bad. _

“Thank you for the drink.”

_ Rhodey, god bless James Rhodes for always having my back.  _

“Don’t thank me, thank my niece who has apparently been spending so much time here, she not only knows your drink orders, she knows which floor has the best cafe.” 

_ Aw. _

“Ambushed,” You mumbled around the straw in your mouth, clearly a comment only meant for me.

“I do not make her spend time here,” I tried to explain. 

“Petey drags me here 95% of the time.”

“And the other 5% young lady?”

The only reason I was able to hear your breath hitch, was because as the words came out of May’s mouth, you stepped closer to me. I made a mental note to never refer to you in that way, even jokingly.

“I like it here, vibe’s good for studying,” You forced a shrug, trying to play it off. 

“VIBE?" May shouted. "You live a normal life, you go to school, you do your best, you get a job and enjoy life. You don't get yourself wrapped up in this hero bullshit."

May looked about ready to cry. Bruce and Rhodey were huddled together now, trying to give us space, but also listen to the argument. You were wilting in on yourself. Right before my eyes, I watched you shrivel and shrink into something  _ other. _ Neither of them seemed to see or get it. 

"I can't believe I have to have this conversation with you. I thought you were a mature young adult. Is this just some kind of fucked up rebound for you?" 

May was bringing up a good point there. Was this just a rebound, sowing your metaphorical oats while you could?

"No," you hissed, cheeks red and eyes watery. "This isn't just some stupid game to me. And-and-and w-what part of my life was ever going to be normal Aunt May? Spider-Man is my b-b-best friend."

Fuck it. I grabbed your hand and gripped it tight. It wasn't what I really wanted to do, which was to pull you into my lap and hug you until everything was better again. I took the light squeeze you gave me in return as a sign of your thanks.

"This is my life, Aunt May. I'm not going to let you control me."

"I'm not trying to control you, I'm trying to protect you."

Something flipped in you. May's word triggered some hidden part of you that caused you to shut down. Your eyes dried up. The color in your cheeks drained. I stood up from my desk, stepping up next to you and ready to pounce.

"Miss Potts, Aunt May, I'm not gonna talk about this anymore. This was my choice," you shook our joined hands in their direction before letting it go. "I am the bad person in this relationship. I am the corruptor. Do not hold that against him."

There it was again. That word. Corruptor. Considering you were like the one bright spot in my life at the moment, I really would consider you the opposite of that. Again, something else to talk about later. Whatever was going on in your beautiful fucked up head was doing a number on you. 

We all watched you storm out of the lab and into the emergency stairwell. We stared at one another, a bit shell shocked by your outburst. Bruce and Rhodey kept quiet as mice while it looked like Pepper and May were about to burst into more yelling. 

"To stop the shovel talk before you start, I'd kill everyone and then myself before I let anything happen to her. My top priority is her happiness."

"Jesus Christ this fucked up," May groaned, defeat entering her voice.

Both of them left after that. Pepper said she'd be taking our evening call with California at home and that I shouldn't bother her until then. I crossed one arm over my chest and rubbed my face with the other. 

"What did she mean by corruptor?" Rhodey finally spoke up.

"Does she think she's a villain?" 

"I don't know guys, I don't know…"


End file.
